Finding True Love
by kdzl
Summary: TV Prompt - Bonus Challenge #7: Doppelgangland - COMPLETE AU - Prince Derek has his choice of Princesses, but each one fails to impress. The Prince is looking for someone who will pass the Queen's test-will he find true love?
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds._**

**_AN: All pairings for this story were decided randomly...and it was done in fun, so if you don't like it, I'd actually like to hear that as much as if you do. This is _NOT _based on the "Once Upon a Mattress" play, but uses the same fairy tale, so there will be similarities. Thanks to Kavi and Sienna for the prompt, I was really excited to write this. Enjoy._**

* * *

_"For a princess is a delicate thing--_

_Delicate and Dainty as a Dragonfly's wing._

_You can recognize a lady by her elegant hair;_

_But a genuine princess is exceedingly rare."_

_-"Once Upon a Mattress"_

* * *

Prince Derek sighed as yet another _princess_ twirled her finger around her auburn curls. He bit back his frustration at the mindless conversation that seemed to preoccupy this woman's mind. He could feel his mother, the Queen, study him while the rest of the rooms eyes focused on him intently--waiting on any sign of disapproval. Finally, he had enough. With a slight frown and a shake of his head, he stood.

"I'm sorry, I must go. If you'll excuse me." He said politely to the woman his parents were hoping would be his future bride, the faces of those surrounding him falling in disappointment.

"Derek," His father, King David, warned sternly. "Sit down and--

"No." Derek said tightly, cutting off any further suggestions from his parents. Smiling chivilrously to the woman sitting across from him, he made his exit.

The many servants surrounding the long dinner table groaned in disbelief, "Not again" One man murmured.

"I'm sorry, is something wrong?" The fair-skinned princess asked obliviously.

Queen Penelope rolled her eyes with annoyance, "Oh, no dear. Nothing's wrong, but I think our dinner date has to be cut a smidgeon short--you understand. Right _missy_?" She did her best to try to mask the distain she was feeling. This was the last one--the _last_ princess in _all_ of the surrounding kingdoms and Queen Penelope Garcia would not stand for her son to remain a bachelor for the rest of her life. Standing, she quickly followed her son out of the room.

"I think it's best if you leave." King David informed the unsuspecting woman who huffed off without another word.

* * *

"Alright my dark chocolate bear, spill." Queen Penelope wasted no time in tracking down her only son. He was lounging in the courtyard, completely unphased by the commotion he caused in the dining hall.

"About what?" Prince Derek hedged slightly, knowing that if anyone could wrangle secrets from him, it was his mother.

"So, what was wrong with this one?" the Queen asked impatiently, tucking a stray blonde curl behind her ear.

"Mama--"

"Nope. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear how you're looking for a _real _princess. Derek Morgan Rossi--_newsflash--_ they have to be _real_ princesses because their parents are _real_ kings and queens. Believe me, I've done my research, quite well if I must say so myself--not like it would matter to _you_." His mother huffed angrily.

"Ahh, the all too familiar argument of _'What's wrong with Derek'?_" King David mused coming around the corner to join his wife and son, a teasing smirk hidden behind his well manicured beard. "This ought to be interesting."

Penelope shot him an angry glare, to which David easily shrugged off his wife's supposed fury. "So what's wrong with her?" the King asked casually.

"What _wasn't _wrong with her?" Derek asked in annoyance. "Seriously? You guys thought I'd like _her?"_

"She was nice, and she had a little puppy that was absolutely _adorable_, and she--" Penelope explained.

"And she was completely full of herself!" He exclaimed. "I mean, I've had more tantilizing conversations with _Clooney._"

"Derek, don't be ridiculous. Clooney is a _dog._" Queen Penelope dismissed, though Derek distinctly remembered his mother having lengthy conversations with her collections of trolls.

"Don't be so quick to dismiss that honey," King David scoffed teasingly. "Look at Mudgie. I couldn't ask for a better friend--"

"This is _so_ not the point." She threw up her hands in dismay. "Derek, this is getting old--scratch that--this is so _past_ old that it's ancient. You've found something wrong with _every single _woman I have brought into this castle. David! Why don't you talk to him?" She turned to his father expectantly.

"I give the kid props for being able to stay single this long, I mean--"

"David!" the Queen shrieked slightly. "I just can't deal with you all right now. I'm going to my lair." She huffed as she stomped off.

The two men sat in slience for a moment, content to gaze at the castle's immaculate courtyard.

"I'm just waiting for the right one." Derek admitted finally.

"I know son, and don't stop looking until you've found her."

* * *

"Morgan," Lady Prentiss interrupted the silence as the two childhood friends enjoyed a walk around the palace. She called him by the childhood nickname that all but his parents referred to him as, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure Em." He looked at her in surprise, the tone of their conversation taking an uncharacteristic turn toward a more serious topic.

"What do you mean when you say you're waiting for a _real_ princess? I mean, by birth so many of these women _are_ princesses, but--"

"So what am I waiting for?" Prince Derek finished her question.

"Yes." Emily smiled at the way her friend could finish her own thoughts. "I mean, don't you think you're being rather picky?"

"Well then, let's just drop this facade and you can marry me right now." Morgan laughed, with a twinkle in his eye.

Emily laughed heartily, slapping him lightly on the shoulder. Long ago their parents had attempted to arrange a relationship between the two, only to find to their dismay that their two offspring would only ever view each other as the very best of friends. "Would you be serious for once?" She said, rolling her eyes as her laughter subsided.

Derek smiled before sobering, "I guess a real princess is a lot of things." He admitted.

"For example?" Emily prodded.

"Well for one, she has to be intelligent. Any princess fit to be a queen needs to be able to understand the politics of the world around her." Derek admitted.

"Okay, and?" She prodded. There was no way she was ever going to find a princess to fit this ridiculous ideal he had in his mind if she didn't know the criteria.

Derek sighed thoughtfully. He didn't want to admit that he had given this issue far more thought than the common person would think. He knew he was an attractive man, and in his youth he had been free to bounce between women. But when it came to marriage, Derek--Morgan to his childhood friends--was far more cautious. Not only would this decision affect him for the rest of his life, but his future kingdom would be impacted. There was more to think about than just the superficial looks that had interested him as a boy.

"And?" Emily prodded again, knowing that this was a subject her friend had thought deeply about.

"And she needs to be able to get along well with people...be diplomatic, I guess." He shrugged.

Emily didn't buy his act for a minute. She knew Derek well enough to know that any quality that he was looking for was important to him, not some passing attraction. "What else?" She persisted.

"Why Em? Looking to fill the position?" Derek teased, attempting to change the topic.

"In your dreams Morgan." Emily rolled her eyes in annoyance, easily picking up her friend's discomfort. "I find this whole scenario completely demeaning."

"What do you mean?" Derek asked, completely taken aback. Emily had expressed her annoyance at the 'Princess Hunt' before, but she had never sounded so caustic.

"Well, it's completely anti-feminist." Emily shuddered. "It's like every eligible girl is paraded in front of you with her parents and the entire kingdom pointing out her good qualities like she's some slab of meat."

"Oh, come on Emily." Morgan groaned sarcastically. It intrigued him, the way that Emily spoke to him was different from most of the women in the kingdom. He always hoped that the woman he chose would be able to speak to him the way he and Emily spoke.

"No. Seriously, you want my honest opinion?" She asked, knowing the answer already.

"Yes."

"Okay, then." She sighed deeply. "I think there are a lot of girls that come for the opportunity to wed the infamous _Derek Morgan Rossi, the First._" She mimicked his name the way she had so often overheard the maidens of the land coo over their handsome prince.

"I know." Morgan groaned. "Why would they want that?"

"I have no idea." Emily teased, causing Derek to grin in spite of himself. "Seriously, I think a lot of girls have unrealistic expectations of what it means to be a princess."

"Don't remind me." Derek agreed.

"All I know is that you want a princess who doesn't _want_ to be a princess." Emily deduced. Gleefully proud when he looked at her in confusion.

"What does that mean?" Derek scoffed, though he knew that sometimes Lady Emily Prentiss knew him better than he knew himself.

"It means, that all of these_ princesses_ are so caught up in the prestige of their title that they don't deserve to wear the crown." She explained.

Derek pondered her conclusion thoughtfully before nodding, "You're right."

"Aren't I always?" She asked, chuckling.

The Prince rolled his eyes at his long time friend. "Well, now the question is, if that's who I'm looking for, how do I find her?"

"How do you find who, my dark chocolate Adonis?" The Queen emerged from behind a large pillar and Derek groaned. "If you wanted to find someone _specific_ you should have just asked. I am, after all, the Queen of Information and Super Technology."

"How could I forget?" He asked, smiling charmingly at his mother.

"Derek wants to find a _real_ princess who is _more_ than just a princess by birth." Emily spoke up, attempting to prod her friend to explain his true reasoning. The Queen and Lady Prentiss shared a knowing look and began to implement their plan.

"What does that mean?" Queen Penelope turned to her son, feigning ignorance.

"It means, that I want someone who _deserves_ to be a princess." Derek explained.

The grin on his mother's face took him aback. He had expected yet another lecture of how many _eligible_ women were waiting to "throw their petticoats into a bunch" at the sight of him. He really didn't want to have another talk like that. "So we give them a test." She concluded.

"A test?" He asked skeptically, even as Emily was already nodding.

"A test. Given by your dear sweet mommy." The Queen's grin widened further than he thought possible. "If she doesn't pass the test, and I don't deem her worthy of your chiseled biceps, then that's that. She's kaput." She explained excitedly.

"But, if she passes, then she's a real princess." Emily agreed, trying not to be overly eager in her agreement with the Queen.

"Really? I thought you'd have a problem with all of this misogynist testing stuff." Derek asked the raven haired woman in surprise.

Emily shrugged nonchalantly. She and Queen Penelope had actually devised this plan last week, hoping that Derek might finally find the woman he was looking for. But now, the entire hunt for his future wife was beginning to get ridiculous. She just wanted this over so that she could marry who she wanted to in peace, without the gentle chiding from her parents that the Prince was still single. But most of all, she just wanted her friend to be happy.

"That's all you have to say?" Derek pressed, knowing that Emily was hiding something from him, but not sure what it was.

"A test beats the meat market any day." Emily shrugged again, hoping that she had at least _somewhat_ satiated his need for knowledge.

"So basically you want me to give up the decision of my love life to my mother?" Derek laughed, his pearly white teeth glowing against his dark, tan skin. "Think again."

The Queen feigned a look of annoyance before sighing ostentatiously, "What if Emily helps me administer the test?"

"I do know you better than anyone else." Emily pointed out, praying that he would take the bait.

"Fine!" Derek groaned, knowing that if the two women in his life teamed up, there would be no stopping them. "But no cheating." He warned, knowing his mother would eventually have her way anyway.

The Queen squealed with excitement. "There's so much to get ready!" She cried, hugging her son and scampering off to her chamber to make plans.

"I'm trusting you." Derek warned Emily seriously. "I mean it--"

"Please Derek. Like I would let you be with some bimbo. _I_ have more self respect than that." Emily smiled in spite of herself. "And remember, we're going to find you a princess fit to be a Queen."

Derek smiled as his friend disappeared beyond the courtyard. "But do princesses like that even exist?" He mused to himself, shaking off the lingering doubt that he would ever find the woman he was looking for.


	2. Chapter 2

"Princess Jenny, we're nearly there." Her driver informed her as he held tightly onto the reigns of the horse-drawn carriage. The Princess smiled as the country-side passed by her quickly. She had worked to convince her father for _months_ that sending a member of the royal family to improve diplomatic relations with both neighboring and far away kingdoms would help their kingdom forever, and he had _finally_ agreed.

"Thanks Spence, and we've talked about this--_please, _call me JJ." She begged. Her parents hated it when she went by her boyish nickname, insisting that it wasn't becoming of a princess to dabble in manly activities. But the princess had always felt so restricted at the palace. Moving along the country-side helped her feel free--just like the nickname her childhood friend (and driver) had given her.

"You know your parents wouldn't approve of that." Spencer Reid shrugged. He wasn't the type of servant that usually disobeyed his employers, and though he felt like the Princess's equal in her presence, her father had made sure that Spencer knew the meaning of their different social status. It wasn't that the king was cruel--no, the King was just far too protective of his only daughter.

"Well, it's a good thing they aren't here." She retorted with a smile.

"Princess _Jennifer_." A harsh voice clipped in condescension, causing her to wince. Her parents would have never allowed her to take this scenic journey without a trusted body guard, and Sir Aaron Hotchner was almost as bad as if she had her own father with her. _Almost._ For while Sir Aaron had his protective streak, she also noticed the way that he would smile ever so slightly at her antics. Her father likely would have made her turn around for home after the first day. As it was, they had been traveling for weeks while she learned of the various villages and kingdoms so far from her own.

"Yes Hotch?" She smiled sweetly at the reprimand, as though daring him to elaborate further. She could tell that he secretly adored the nickname, he would just never admit it.

"I don't think your father would approve if--" Sir Aaron began before the carriage snapped sharply downwards, throwing the two passengers forward in their seats.

"Reid?" Hotch grumbled as the carriage came to a stop. "What did you do?"

"It wasn't me." Reid held up his hands as evidence. "Our wheel snapped in half."

"Well, don't we have a spare?" the Princess asked, standing up and brushing off her dress. Her traveling clothes were much lighter and far less fancy than her traditional gowns, and she loved the freedom they allowed her.

"We already _used_ the spare." Spencer retorted angrily, rolling his eyes slightly at the Princess.

Hotch eyed Reid closely, bristling at the driver's tone while his protectiveness of the young blonde exploded, knowing no bounds. The younger man eventually dropped his gaze and muttered an apology to his childhood friend.

JJ shot an annoyed glare to her 'bodyguard' and rolled her eyes. "I can fight my own battles, thank you very much."

"You're welcome." Hotch said, the inflection of his voice never deviating.

After a heated moment, the argument was forgotten as the trio eyed the broken wheel. "What are we going to do?" Reid asked the pair.

"I don't know." Hotch paused thoughtfully. They only had two horses, and the three of them wouldn't be going very far since neither horse had been rested in several miles.

"How far are we from the nearest village?" JJ asked, loving that Spencer had accompanied her on this journey. He was a walking encyclopedia--filled with facts and information. His memorization of the maps throughout the kingdoms had proven useful before, and she knew that his skill would be invaluable again.

"About three miles." Spencer winced slightly as he felt a drop of something wet hit him on the shoulder. Looking up, he saw the threatening clouds that seemed ready to dump gallons of water onto the unsuspecting travelers.

"Let's go." JJ shrugged. "Spence and I will ride together, Hotch, you take the other horse. If we're quick, we'll make it before--" She was cut off by a flash of lightning followed closely by a sharp crack of thunder.

The horses bucked at the loud noise, and Spencer shuddered. Having never been an excellent rider himself, he was monumentally grateful to be riding with the Princess. JJ huffed with impatience as she tried to calm the horses while Hotch loosened the shackles that tied the them to the carriage. Reid was spurred into action after JJ hopped aboard her favorite horse. "C'mon Reid, we've got to go."

He barely boarded the horse before another flash of lightning stuck and the horse bucked once more.

Spencer clung tightly to JJ's waist, but it was in vain as he felt himself slide quickly off the horse onto the cold soft ground. Before he even knew what happened, his head struck something hard and he sank into unconsciousness.

"Hotch!" the Princess cried desperately, jumping off the horse to help her friend.

"Princess!" Sir Aaron swung down from his own horse and rushed to the two travelers who were now soaked with rain and mud.

"He fell." She shouted, trying to be heard over the torrent of rain. Another flash of lightning, this time luckily more distant was followed by a slow rumble of thunder that luckily only unnerved the two horses. "I think he's hurt." She said, inspecting the wound where Spencer was now bleeding heavily.

"It looks worse than it is." Hotch informed her, having experienced his fair share of wounds in battles far more dangerous than a country road. "But we've got to get out of this storm." He instructed.

JJ looked up at him with horror, "I'm not leaving him." She insisted defiantly.

"He'll ride with me." Hotch commanded, never having had intention of leaving their driver to his own fate. Hotch would never abandon his charge, and these mountain passes could be incredibly dangerous to even experienced travelers.

"Let's go." JJ agreed.

* * *

Aaron had never been so grateful to see a castle in his entire lifetime. He had spent numerous times in battles throughout the world, and had always fought with valor. Returning to his homeland with the crisp lines of his King's castle in view had always been an enjoyable sight, but he had often longed for the adventure that lay elsewhere. Tonight, with the wind and the rain surrounding him and his young charge, he felt relief overcome him as he realized their dangerous situation was nearly past.

"Princess." He commanded, as the blonde flashed him a look of annoyance. "Up ahead." He pointed to the lowered drawbridge--evidence of the peaceful times of this kingdom, and felt a surge of gratitude that they wouldn't have to swim the moat.

She nodded quickly, and he could see the relief wash over her as she too realized that they would soon be able to get out of the cold. He checked the unconscious man in front of him once more, and was again relieved to see that Reid was still breathing.

As they approached the castle doors, Hotch dismounted quickly and made to help the Princess off her own horse. JJ swatted his attempts away, and insisted "Help Spence."

Hotch nodded, having expected her reaction though his chivilrous duties took precedence. He quickly heaved the unconscious man over his shoulder and allowed the Princess to take the reigns of his other horse. Just as he made to knock on the door, he felt a cool hand on his arm. He looked down at the blonde in surprise.

"Hotch? Will you do me a favor?" She smiled meekly.

"It depends." He admitted, knowing that he would likely do anything that he was commanded to do. He had always been loyal to the King, and his charge was to protect the Princess at all costs. As long as her wish didn't conflict with that charge, he liked the blonde enough to concede to her demands.

"Can we _not_ tell them I'm a Princess?" She winced, expecting a quick tirade about her status and royal birth.

"Why?" Hotch asked skeptically.

"Because Spencer needs help. I've been in royal courts my entire life. The moment they see that I'm _dirty_ they'll take care of me first, even though he's the one who needs help. I can live with dirt. Spence needs help." She pleaded, grateful that he hadn't immediately denied her request.

Sir Aaron contemplated her request for a moment. Truthfully, he had lived in the royal courts as long as she had, and he was certain that the King and Queen of this castle would likely treat her _just _as she described. But, Aaron Hotchner _never_ lied. To lie, he had been taught, was an attempt to dishonor his King. And he was _always_ loyal to the King.

"I won't lie." He stated, wanting the Princess to know exactly what he was agreeing to.

"I'm not asking you to. If they _ask_ you if I'm a princess, then I wouldn't ask you to lie. But if they _don't_ ask, then what's the harm in _not _telling them?" She reasoned, smiling slightly as she saw the gears of his own mind working intently.

"As you wish." Hotch sighed before knocking.


	3. Chapter 3

_Bang, Bang, Bang_

A loud bang at the castle door startled the royal family from their deep slumber. King Rossi exited the royal bedchamber first, followed closely behind by his wife. Prince Derek also came running and chuckled when he saw his mother. Her eccentric style managed to infiltrate every area of her life--especially her night clothes. His father, on the other hand, looked worn and casual as he draped a robe around him.

"Who would be calling so late?" the King grumbled. "I told you we should keep the draw bridge lowered at night." He spoke to no one in particular.

"With this storm--?" the Queen added, as her husband shooed away the guards who looked at him with a questioning glance. David Rossi never liked having servants--or anyone, really--do something for him that he could easily do himself. "Be careful David." She warned.

"Yes Queen." The King rolled his eyes before cautiously opening the door. When he saw the three lonely travelers on the other side, he threw the door open wider and ushered them inside. "Can I help you?" He asked the tall, dark haired man who seemed to be in charge. All three of the travelers seemed to be drenched and their clothes were covered with dirt. The dark haired man carried a slender man over his shoulder while a blonde young woman stood next to the pair, her teeth chattering slightly from the cold.

Derek couldn't help but stare at the blonde woman. Though her hair was matted and wet, with small twigs and dirt clinging to her light dress, he couldn't help but notice her beauty. Her blue eyes radiated the emotions inside her, and were currently filled with concern--though he suspected in different circumstances they would dance with joy. She hadn't noticed him yet, of that he was sure, but he smiled at the obvious concern she had for her companion. Few women that he had met would worry about the health of an injured friend when her own appearance was slightly disheveled.

"Our driver--" The man started, only to be cut off by the woman next to him.

"Our friend needs help." She said, shooting a warning glance to her companion. "Our horses were startled by the storm and he must have hit his head," She explained as Hotch lifted Spencer from off his shoulder where the royal family could easily see the wound that was still bleeding.

"Oh, my. Bring that boy here, we'll take care of him." The Queen exclaimed, pointing to a long couch to her side. She quickly sent orders for warm clothes for their guests and didn't bother to see if her orders were obeyed. "Derek, go get Emily--she's the best person I know at caring for wounds like this." She commanded her son in no nonsense terms.

Derek smiled widely, knowing the effect it usually had on women, though he was surprised that the blonde barely offered him a second glance. "Whatever you say Mama."

* * *

"So, let me get this straight--" Emily laughed as they rushed down the corridors, "there is a woman on this planet that can actually _resist_ the Derek Morgan smile? Not just _resist, _but completely _ignore._"

"You seem to do just fine." The Prince grumbled as they turned the corner.

"_I_ have had years of practice. Props to this girl if she can turn you down at first sight." Emily insisted.

"Gee thanks Em. You're such a great friend." Derek said sarcastically as they raced down the stairs where his mother and father were waiting impatiently.

"Your Majesty." Emily curtsied politely as Queen Garcia waved her off. "None of that now dear," Penelope demanded. "This poor boy needs our help."

Emily nodded expectantly. The royal family had never been keen on formalities, but her own parents had ingrained the proper protocols since she was a child. "I need a bowl of water and some clean towels." She informed as several servants scampered to find her request.

"What happened to the others?" Derek asked his mother nonchalantly.

Queen Penelope was known for her ability to uncover even the most protected secrets. "Oh, you mean the girl_?" _She asked sweetly. "She and her _guide _went to change." She said, emphasizing the traveler's relationship for her son's information.

As if on cue, the other travelers descended from the stairs. "How is he?" The woman asked, ignoring the odd looks she got from many of the onlookers for her lack of deportment.

"He's going to be fine." Emily assured her, inspecting the other woman closely out of the corner of her eye. "It's just a nasty bump."

Derek was less subtle in his inspection of the fair woman in front of him. She had washed her golden hair to remove the chunks of dirt and leaves, though he could tell she had done it in haste because there were slight trace amounts that lingered. Her hair hung loosely, highlighting her angelic face. The eyes that had captivated him initially seemed to entrance him now, the deep blue color reminding him of the clear ocean.

Noticing her son's piqued interest, the Queen couldn't help but intervene--in her own way, of course--"Derek." She called, snapping her son out of his enchanted gaze, "Go tell the servants to go and prepare rooms for our guests." She instructed immediately.

"If you don't mind--" JJ interrupted, earning a reproachful look from her companion, but she continued nonetheless, "I'd rather stay up until he wakes up."

"Of course Sugar Puff." Queen Garcia couldn't help but feel an immense liking of their new friend. "Derek, go have the cooks to heat something up for our guests." She smirked proudly.

Nodding, the Prince took one last glance at the blonde before heading deep into the confines of the castle. As soon as he had departed, Emily looked up at the Queen and smirked knowingly. "So, Miss--?" She held her breath in anticipation.

"Jennifer." Hotch supplied. "I am Sir Aaron Hotchner of Georgetown."

"So, Jennifer what brings you and your guide here so late?" The Queen asked, fishing for more information about the travelers, "Sight seeing? Arranged marriage?"

"Sightseeing." JJ hedged, wanting to make certain Spencer was alright before revealing the truth, but not wanting to be dishonest. "And please, call me JJ."

"Rightey-oh JJ," the Queen smiled brightly. "But lets get some food in you and get you to bed--you both look so tired, its as if you're dead on your feet."

* * *

"So? What do you think of her?" King David asked his wife in a hushed whisper out of the corner of his mouth. They easily observed the flirting going on between their son and this weary traveler.

"I like her." Queen Penelope replied, not bothering to mask her reply in . "She's got spunk." The well-meaning parents couldn't help but hide their surprise as their son seemed genuinely intrigued by the woman in front of him. Every sarcastic or witty remark he would make was not only met, but exceeded by the blonde. "I think he's met his match." She added.

"Too bad she's not a princess." The King sighed with disappointment as a flash of inspiration struck the Queen.

"So what if she isn't?" The Queen asked with a glimmer in her eye.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He grumbled, though he was genuinely curious as to what his wife had in store.

"Oh, you'll see." She sipped a glass of wine, and was unable to hide the mischievious smirk as she watched her son interract with the exhausted traveler.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Lady Emily whispered, leaning in towards the Queen.

"Absolutely." The Queen replied. The King shrugged, not bothering to inquire further. If he knew anything, he was sure that he would find out their devious plot soon enough. "We'll give her a test."


	4. Chapter 4

**_AN/ Alright, so I've been busy, but it drives me absolutely crazy to have stories unfinished. There should only be about one more chapter after this, so Enjoy!_**

* * *

A test?" King Rossi asked wearily. "Do I even want to know why?"

"Probably not." Lady Emily offered smirking mischieviously.

"Sorry Sweet Stuff" The Queen smiled apologetically, but her eyes danced with joy, "But this is strictly on a need to know basis."

"Go ahead." The King laughed, holing up his hands in defeat, "Plan away."

"As if I needed your permission." She huffed in mock offense. "Come now Emily, let's make us up a test."

"This is going to be great." Emily agreed whole-heartedly, niether woman noticing JJ leave the table abruptly, followed inconspicuously by the King.

The Queen was about to conspire further when she was cut off by a tentative tapping on her shoulder. Turning around, she smiled chipperly at the servant who looked at her anxiously, "Yes Kevin?"

"The other traveler is waking up." He announced softly.

Penelope smiled brightly, ready to inform the others of their companion's speedy recovery, but she was more than a little surprised to find the blonde woman's seat already empty.

* * *

Spencer felt the throbbing in his headache before he became aware of anything else. Gingerly reaching up to touch the source of the pain, he winced as he felt the large bump above his brow.

"Spence!" A familiar voice called loudly, making him wince involuntarily. "You're okay!"

"Princess?" He asked, blinking rapidly to try to clear the blur in his eyes. JJ winced at the title and looked around to see if anyone heard. Unfortunately, the King had walked into the room just at that moment.

"It's okay Spence." JJ soothed easily, turning her attention back to her childhood friend. She would deal with King Rossi later. "We made it. We're safe." She assured him, knowing that would likely be the first of his worries.

"Where are we?" He groaned as the light continued to assault his senses.

"Quanticopia." The King supplied.

Reid sighed and relaxed, "Not much information on this land other than they are a friendly people trying to encourage the young prince to find a suitable mate. He has turned down every eligible princess in the neighboring kingdoms and--"

Chuckling, King Rossi placed a hand on the young man's shoulders. "I think that's enough." He concluded, choosing not to comment on the slight blush that graced the fair woman's cheeks.

"Can we get you anything? Are you hungry?" The Princess asked her injured friend, suddenly aware that she was surrounded by the other occupants of the castle.

The King nodded immediately. "Whatever you need, we'll give you whatever we can to help you feel better."

"I'm tired." Reid admitted, swatting his dark brown hair out of his eyes.

"You should be okay to rest." Emily informed him, there wasn't much more they were equipt to do, "But we'll wake you up about every hour to check on you."

"A'ight." Reid mumbled as he fell back into unconsciousness.

"Emily, Derek--come with me. Now that we know he's okay we can prepare beds for our guests." The Queen and Lady Emily grinned with excitement while Prince Derek looked at them in confusion. Shrugging, he smiled once at JJ before following his best friend and mother down the hall.

"Princess?" The King turned towards JJ and smirked knowingly once the others had all left. The blonde cringed noticibly and the dark haired man at her side spoke up quickly.

"Yes sire. Princess. This is Princess Jennifer, daughter of King Gideon and Queen Elle." He introduced formally.

"Hi." JJ waved awkwardly.

"Nice to meet you." King David smirked knowingly and added, "Princess."

JJ winced, and suddenly felt an urge to explain her deception to the King who had welcomed her and her companions so warmly. "I didn't mean to lie to you, it's just--I wanted to make sure that Spence was okay and I thought that if--"

King Rossi held up his hand and stopped her, his eyes twinkling. "It's fine."

JJ breathed a sigh of relief before the King added, "Just don't tell the Queen, otherwise, not even I would be able to save you from her matchmaking."

"I don't know what you're talking about." JJ murmured, despite the soft blush that rose to her cheeks.

"Sure you dont." Sir Aaron groaned and rolled his eyes.

* * *

"This is great." Emily smiled as she looked up at the towering pile of matteresses.

"This is _ridiculous._" Prince Derek scoffed as he heaved the final mattress into place. "I still don't think I understand what--"

"We're testing her sensitivity!" The Queen beemed proudly.

"If she can feel this pea underneath all of these mattresses than she is a _real_ princess." Emily explained calmly.

"And then you can get married and have dozens of beautiful babies and--"

"Woah there Mama." Derek laughed. "I get the whole sensitivity thing, but don't you think it's a little--"

"Stupid?" The Queen offered.

"Chauvanistic?" Emily supplied.

"Well, yeah." The prince shrugged. "I mean, she's gorgeous and funny and smart, but--"

"But--?" The Queen prodded with interest. If there was even the slightest interest in the woman by her son, then this whole plan was worth it.

"But, she's not a princess." Derek sighed, unable to hide the way his face fell with disappointment.

"Don't worry. Leave it all up to me." The Queen promised, her eyes gleaming.

Maybe one day, she'd have grandkids after all.


	5. Chapter 5

**_AN/ Here is the finale of this story, I hope you enjoy!_**

* * *

Queen Penelope smiled as she led her wearied travelers to their quarters for the evening. It had been stressful enough that she suspected each member of the ragged group would be fast asleep.

Except for one.

She hoped.

Because if all she could do was get some grandkids, then she would spoil those babies more than anyone could ever believe possible.

But first, she had to play fairy matchmaking godmother.

"Alright _JJ,_ now this is where you can sleep." She pointed to the tower of mattresses. "I hope you find it comfortable."

"Comfortable?" The young girl quirked her eyebrow in amusement, "I think you went a little overboard if you just wanted me to be _comfortable._" JJ smiled. "There's got to be over fifteen matresses here."

"Twenty." Emily corrected, fighting a smile.

"Well all I can say is thank you. Thank you for taking care of Spence, really, you've done too much."

"Nonsense." The Queen smiled happily, waving off the younger woman's compliment. "It was nothing."

"It was more than nothing." The younger blonde insisted. "I don't know how to repay you."

Emily and Penelope shared a knowing look. This woman was everything they could have hoped for, and if they had any doubt about that earlier in the night, her gratitude was more than enough evidence.

"Well JJ," Emily smiled proudly, "We hope you sleep well."

* * *

The next morning, the two women sat expectantly, eagerly waiting for their guests to return for breakfast.

"So, how do you think she slept?" Emily asked, sipping her warm morning tea.

"Hopefully, she barely slept at all." The Queen grinned wickedly. "But the real question is, will she have the hudspah to tell us to our faces?"

"Oh," Emily sat back in her chair, "I hadn't thought of that."

"And that's why I am the fountain of all knowledge, and you are waiting to find a handsome young man to-" Queen Penelope's retort was cut off as the weary blonde woman entered the large dining hall with her traveling companions in tow.

"How did you sleep?" King Rossi asked. While he didn't know exactly _what_ his wife had planned, he was aware that it involved something that happened last night. If he had anything to say about it, they'd get this entire _test_ business done with before breakfast was over.

"I feel a lot better, I slept great." Spencer smiled.

"As did I, your magesty." Sir Aaron bowed slightly to show his gratitude to their hosts.

Hoping that she could avoid the question, JJ remained silent. The Queen, however, would have none of it. "What about you, JJ? How did you sleep?"

JJ cringed. She was certain they could see the dark circles under her eyes. She had always been taught that honesty was more important than anything else, so hearing the other woman's question made her stop dead in her tracks.

Because that had been the worst night of sleep she had ever encountered-in fact, she wasn't sure she had slept at all. The matresses had been comfortable except for...

But the debate between whether to be honest, or to be polite was raging inside of her.

"Well? How did you sleep?" Emily prodded, desperately hoping that the other woman would pass this test.

Derek came in from the other enterance to the room, completely stunned at the beauty of the blonde woman in front of him. JJ took one look at the dashing prince and made up her mind firmly. If he didn't deserve her honesty, than no one did.

"I must have been more worried about Spence than I thought." JJ admitted diplomatically. "I hardly slept at all."

Both the Queen and Lady Emily fought the broad grins that errupted. Derek smiled happily. "Really?" He asked.

"Yeah, I might have to give you the name of our matress maker at home." JJ smiled teasingly, "I think you'd all have a better nights sleep."

"Oh, would I?" Derek challenged, a teasing spark gleamimg in his eye.

JJ shrugged, smiling. "Of course, you could always sleep on the ground if you miss the lumps digging into your back at night, but back home we pride ourselves on _non-lumpy_ matresses." She teased.

Delighted, Derek swept her up into his arms and kissed her soundly. After registering her shock, JJ quickly molded to him and returned the kiss. Sir Aaron quickly cleared his throat, reminding the couple of his presence and obvious disapproval. When the couple finally broke away, Derek was grinning like a school boy. "You did it!"

"Did what?" JJ asked obliviously, though she could feel herself grinning from ear to ear, she tried to fight the blush that was creeping up her cheeks at having everyone watch them in such an intimate display of affection.

"Why you passed my dear." The Queen explained as if it were obvious.

"We've been looking for the right woman for Derek to marry, so we set up a test to determine whether you were a _real_ princess." Emily expounded as everyone returned to their seats. "You passed the test."

"So, even though you aren't a _princess_, you have passed every requirement to be one. Therefore, as Queen of-" Penelope began, only to have her husband elbow her quickly in the side.

"Um, Queen?" King Rossi interrupted. "I think the young lady has something to tell you."

"What do you mean?" Penelope asked in surprise, her eyes narrowed, somehow jumping to the conclusion that she was already betrothed to another prince. "Is there someone else?"

"No, it's nothing like that." Spence jumped in, trying to defend his best friend. He smiled as the other woman noticibly relaxed. "It's just that you assumed she was not already a princess, however, JJ is Princess Jennifer Jareau, the only daughter of King Jason Gideon and Queen Elle Greenaway of Quanticopland. Quanticopland is a large kingdom far north of here, the people primarily focused on agriculture though we have a strong fishing industry-"

Sir Aaron patted the younger man on the shoulder, effectively stopping he spew of information. "I think they get the picture."

"You're a princess?" Derek asked JJ in shock. "Really?"

JJ blushed, suddenly feeling slightly shy, she simply nodded.

He smiled. "Princess JJ-" He started.

She immediately interrupted. "Please, just call me JJ." She instructed firmly.

"JJ," He grinned, and swiftly slipped out of his chair and knelt beside her. Picking up her hand in his, he looked into her deep blue eyes. "I never thought this would actually happen. Will you marry me?"

JJ's grin split even wider. "I didn't think it would happen either, but I think I have found my true love." She nodded and quickly threw her arms around his neck. "Yes Derek, I will marry you."

"Well, that settles it. Now you can be married and live happily ever after!" The Queen squealed in delight.

"And I can eat breakfast." The King agreed happily, surveying the food in front of him and the people around him. "And then we can talk about getting the two of you married."

**_And they all lived happily ever after_...**

**THE END**


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